Better Than Birthday Cake
by RangerBabeFan
Summary: Babefic - A short challenge story from PP. A little angst, romance, humor and some language. Rated just in case I get a wild hair. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer Not mine, not making any money. Boo Hoo. I could really use some Christmas money! Written for Letha's Birthday Challenge on PP. Big hugs and a grateful thanks to Jenny and Stayce for stepping in to beta for me. You ladies are life savers!

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 1

I was tired and sore from a long and fruitless day of skip-chasing, and all I wanted was a long hot soak in my bathtub followed by a much longer nap. Unfortunately that was a treat I knew wouldn't be forthcoming anytime soon, since today was my sister Valerie's birthday. I had been summoned by my mother to appear at my parents house promptly at six bearing gifts. Don't get me wrong; I love my sister. I just cant stand spending very much quality time with her and her crazy family. Her incessant referrals to her Snuggly Uggums and Cuddle Umpkins, especially at the dinner table, made me want to puke. Boy, was I looking forward to that. Not!

I needed to stop at the mall to pick up Val's gift, then rush home to clean up before I showed up at the house I'd grown up in for the first 20-some odd years of my life. My torn jeans wouldn't be welcomed there, nor would the noodles I hadn't managed to find and remove from my hair and the spaghetti sauce staining my jacket. Too bad I hadn't gotten to eat that meal instead of wearing it, since Nicky Zambrano decided it looked better on me than his plate. Stupid skip.

I pulled in to the Quakerbridge Mall parking lot, scanning for a parking space closer than the outer forty. I saw one opening up just six rows away from the door and immediately whipped my POS around to take the spot being vacated by Mrs. Slotnik. She drove away waving at me as I zipped into the space, narrowly missing being cut off by none other than Joyce Barnhardt in her brand new SUV. Joyce laid on her horn, yelling at me that _she'd_ seen it first. I locked up my car and flipped her off as I hurriedly walked towards the mall entrance. I didn't have time to argue.

I made it inside to Bed, Bath & Beyond where Carol Zabo had gathered several things together as potential gifts for me to check out before buying. Carol was a former skip of mine who'd just started working there, and had happily offered to play personal shopper for me when I'd called. I was grateful she'd been willing to help, since I had no clue what to get Val. After all, being a married Burg wife wasn't something I have very much experience or aptitude with. Thank you Joyce!

I chose a nice set of bath salts and lotions, as well as a fluffy pastel pink robe, since I knew Val didn't have one, and waited while Carol gift-wrapped them for me. She did a much better job than I ever could have done, adding curly pink ribbons to the packages and even a sappy card. I paid for my purchases and left the store, thanking her for the help and the beautiful job she'd done with the gifts. I debated on whether I had time to stop at Macy's for a clean set of clothes, but decided I didn't. Not if I wanted to get a shower and take a short nap. It was going on four o'clock already, which meant time was running out.

I hurried out to the parking lot, pulling my keys from my purse and almost dropped my packages in shock when I stopped dead in front of my car. My tires were all flat. Damn! Why now? I slid down the side of my car, tears welling up in my eyes before slipping out and making their way down my face. I knew Id never make it in time now. I was going to have to withstand _another _tongue-lashing from my mother on why I needed to quit my job, get back together with Joe and get married like a proper Burg woman. As if _that_ was gonna happen! Just one more thing on my list of not- to-do's.

My pity party for one was interrupted by a pair of black boots stopping in front of me and a soft "Babe" that had me wiping my face with the backs of my hands before looking up into concerned warm brown eyes. Crap! The icing on the cake of my crappy day was Ranger seeing me like this; it was bad enough that I'd already paraded through the mall with half the 'Burg there! I groaned, lowering my gaze and squinting my eyes shut before the tears I could feel threatening to spill could eke their way out.

The next thing I knew he was squatting in front of me and tucking a wayward curl behind my ear. He wiped an escaped tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb before gently lifting my chin with a forefinger.

"Having a bad day, Babe?" he asked in a soft voice, not a trace of amusement in sight. He must've realized I couldn't take it right now. I swallowed and looked directly into his face, seeing nothing but concern and affection.

"Would you give me a ride to my apartment?" I asked, my voice a little wobbly. I cleared my throat and continued, trying hard to not sound so pitiful. "I need to get cleaned up and get to my parents by six, and I can't be late today." That didn't sound so bad.

"Sure, Babe. I'll have Al come pick up your car and fix the tires." He said with a slight tilt of his lips, as if giving me reassurance. "Anything special going on today?" he asked, picking up my packages before gracefully rising to his feet as he put a supporting hand on my elbow to help me stand. Thank God, because I'm not sure I had the energy to get up on my own.

"Val's birthday. If I'm late I'll ruin everything." I said as I gratefully clung to his arm when my vision started to cloud with black spots. Oops. Guess I shouldn't have missed lunch today, but time was running out on my skips, and my rent was due. I stood still for a moment waiting for my head to clear, leaning heavily against Ranger's side until my equilibrium returned. He frowned as he noticed I didn't move away very quickly, and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, guess I got up too fast. I'm okay now, thanks." I answered. I noticed the frown deepening and hastily turned towards the black SUV I noticed parked nearby. I hoped his ESP was on the blink today, because I _really_ didn't want to have to explain why I'd missed eating. I hated him knowing I needed the money that bad.

He kept his hand on my elbow as we made our way over to the Cayenne, stopping at the passenger door and opening it to allow me to get seated. He handed me my packages after I'd buckled myself in, then paused as if to say something. He shook his head as if clearing the thought, then closed the door and rounded the front of the car to open his own door. He climbed in and buckled up, putting the key in the ignition but stopped before turning it. He turned and looked at me, his eyes boring into mine as if seeking an answer to an unasked question.

"When's the last time you ate?" He continued to stare into my eyes, which caused me to start fidgeting. Damn ESP!

"Er...um...I kinda got distracted today chasing skips." I started, then let out a stilted laugh. "I guess I forgot to eat lunch." I cringed when his face hardened and then stilled. I hoped he wouldn't push it, but _naturally, _luck had deserted me as usual, and he made as if to continue. Stupid Stephanie decided it was time to lend a helping hand, and immediately took over my mouth.

"It's okay. That's why I cant be late. Mom's making a special dinner for Val's birthday, and I wanted to make sure I had plenty of room. You know, the birthday cake and all..." I interrupted breathlessly. I'm sooo going down for this!

He didn't respond, simply turning the key and bringing the SUV's powerful engine to life, his face set in hard lines. I felt a shiver run up my spine as I contemplated the look on his face. I wasn't sure what that meant for me, since he'd never given me that look before. The few times I'd seen it directed at others, it didn't bode well. I envisioned him shipping me off to Somalia or someplace equally desolate, and hoped he'd at least let me pack first.

In no time at all we were pulling up to the parking lot of my apartment building where he managed to secure a space right next to the front door. How he managed to consistently do this has always baffled me. Stupid parking karma! I always ended up parking next to the dumpster on the far side of the lot!

I expected him to simply wait until I got out with my packages, but to my surprise he turned off the key and opened his door. I sat there shocked as he made his way around to my door and opened it, taking the gifts and my purse from my lap and unbuckling the safety belt. I had been opening and closing my mouth like a fish but snapped it shut when he took my elbow in a firm grip and assisted me from my seat. He took his hand away only long enough to close the door and beep the vehicle locked before returning his hand to my elbow and steering me towards the elevator. Huh?

"Ranger?" I squeaked out, my confusion plainly evident. He usually made me climb the stairs when going to my apartment; add to that he was actually accompanying me into the elevator. He didn't answer, only pushing the button for the second floor which made the sense of foreboding that had been tickling the back of my mind ratchet up another notch. Maybe he wasn't gonna let me pack after all!

We moved from the elevator to the door of my apartment in silence, tension evident in every muscle of the Man-in-Black's body. I managed to move along stiffly beside him, pausing to drag my keys out of my purse just as we reached my door. He released my elbow and held out his hand for the keys, transferring my packages into my arms and drawing a gun from behind his back as he put the key in the lock, swinging the door open. I knew better than to enter until he deemed it safe, so I stood outside the doorway, fidgeting as he finished checking every room inside for intruders. Just my luck. Everything was clear, and he motioned me inside.

I dropped my packages and purse on the kitchen counter, then turned to face him, trepidation running through me like a cold front.

He turned from locking the door and stood leaning against the wall next to the doorway, arms crossed over his bulging chest muscles and eyes boring in to mine. Eek!

"Um, thanks for the ride. I really appreciate you coming to my rescue again, but I'm okay now. I've got to hurry and get ready so I'm not late..." My voice trailed off as I noticed something flash in his eyes before the blank look returned, confusing me even further. He merely shrugged his shoulders and moved into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water before closing it with a decisive snap. When he spoke his voice seemed impossibly tight, as if holding in a great deal of anger.

"Go get your shower. I'll take you as soon as you're ready."

Shit!

TBC?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer Not mine, not making any money. Boo Hoo. I could really use some Christmas money! Written for Lethas Birthday Challenge on PP.

Again, _huge_ thanks to Stayce for being such an awesome beta! Youve made this story so much better!

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 2

_Previously_

_"Um, thanks for the ride. I really appreciate you coming to my rescue again, but I'm okay now. I've got to hurry and get ready so I'm not late..." My voice trailed off as I noticed something flash in his eyes before the blank look returned, confusing me even further. He merely shrugged his shoulders and moved into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water before closing it with a decisive snap. When he spoke his voice seemed impossibly tight, as if holding in a great deal of anger._

_"Go get your shower. I'll take you as soon as you're ready." _

_Shit!_

I really didn't want to be sent to a third world country today, and since my mother would kill me if I missed Val's birthday party and cut me off from dessert forever, I dashed into my bathroom and closed the door. The look on Ranger's face, as well as the anger I could hear in his voice, scared the crap out of me. Never before had he turned that anger on me, and it damn near had me peeing my pants!

I turned on the shower water to hot and hurriedly removed said pants, along with every other stitch of clothing I had on, grimacing as I noticed the rips and stains that earmarked them for the trash bin. Another pair of my favorite jeans bites the dust. I was going to have to go shopping for clothes again as soon as I could bring in a couple of good FTAs. My wardrobe was becoming seriously depleted, and God only knows how many more of my jeans would be destroyed in the coming weeks. Besides, they'd been fitting a lot more loosely as of late, which was probably due more to the lack of funds in my bank account for food than any real effort on my part to lose the pounds. I just couldn't bring myself to mooch more than one meal a week off my parents. The lectures from my mother had gotten particularly vicious lately, which made _any _time I spent there extremely uncomfortable.

I stepped under the shower spray, adjusting the temperature to slightly less than scalding to avoid the angry red marks that would show so vividly on my pale skin. One more thing my mother would have to rant about. I washed and conditioned my hair, passed the razor over my legs and bits, then loaded up the shower scrubby with the shower gel I'd bought at the dollar store. I sighed, thinking about Ranger's shower gel, and how much I missed its yummy fragrance, and its even yummier wearer.

He hadn't needed me for any distractions for over two months; well before my unspectacular and amicable split from Joe, so until today I hadn't seen him except in passing. He hadn't even requested any 'chats' in the alley behind the bonds office, which led me to believe he was tired of the pursuit, and quite possibly had found someone else to focus his attentions on. That thought had hurt horribly, so I'd kept myself busy, learning self-defense down at the YWCA and putting together files on all my past and present skips to make locating them easier. Many of them were repeaters, so the more information I had on them the faster I could collect them _and_ my bond fee. Unfortunately, I seemed to run into constant reminders of the Man-In-Black, which made it difficult to concentrate some days. Today was one of those days.

I shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in an almost threadbare bath towel before using its twin to squeeze as much water out of my hair as it would absorb. I slathered myself with body lotion and rubbed some discount anti-frizz treatment into my curls, running a pick through it to try to make it behave somewhat. I really missed the ultra-expensive conditioner that Mr. Alexander had recommended since it had worked so well, except Rex needed new bedding and hamster nuggets, and I didn't have enough money for both. I usually ended up putting my hair in a ponytail and wearing a hat, since there didn't seem to be anyone to impress anyway. My own fault, really. Even the sex wasn't worth staying in the dying relationship I'd had with Joe.

I deftly applied a light blusher to my cheeks, three coats of mascara to my eyelashes for courage, and a swipe of strawberry lip gloss. I opened the door and scurried into my bedroom, shutting the door and shedding my towel. I looked at the digital readout on my alarm clock and stifled a groan. I'd been in the bathroom a lot longer than I thought, which meant I only had a few minutes to dress and head out to my parents. I didn't want to deal with _another_ lecture about ruining dinner, on top of the usual one about my job and the fact that I'd lost any chance of getting married and settling down. I was already going to hear about how many phone calls my mother would have received today about my less-than spectacular efforts to bring in Nicky Zambrano, my ripped clothing, and how much of an embarrassment I was as her daughter.

After picking out a bra and panty set from my dresser, I grabbed a pair of cream wool slacks from a hanger in my closet, topping it with a cobalt blue sweater that brought out the color of my eyes. They fit a bit loosely on me, but not too badly. The lighter pants would add a few pounds to my figure, which I hoped would keep my mother's comments about the weight loss to a minimum. Even Valerie's birthday wouldn't save me from the lectures, I knew. She'd simply order me into the kitchen on the pretense of helping her where she could chastise me without interruption. It was a pattern that had become increasingly familiar, and one I dreaded.

I stepped into a pair of cream-colored FMPs with a sensible three-inch heel and checked my reflection in the mirror. I looked about as well as I was going to get, so I picked out a cream clutch purse to match my outfit and opened my bedroom door. I hadn't seen Ranger in my dash to the bedroom, so I wasn't sure if he was even still there. As angry as he had been, it wouldn't surprise me if he'd left, even though I still didn't know what had caused that look on his face, nor his tone of voice when he told me to get my shower. I'm not sure I really wanted to know, since it seemed like his wrath was directed at me. Ah, there it was! My denial had kicked in, which would help me deal with the upcoming fiasco that was a Plum family dinner, complete with the usual chaos and snide remarks from my mother.

I entered my living room where I noticed Ranger had seated himself in the armchair. His elbows were positioned on the padded arms, his fingers joined at the tips where they steepled and rested against his lips. My gaze skittered away from his face before it could concentrate on those lips that I missed so much. I walked over to the counter where I'd dropped my purse and began to transfer the few things I needed into the clutch purse, acutely aware of being watched. I snapped my purse shut and cleared my throat, hoping I could keep my voice steady and my mind clear enough to get me through the next twenty minutes or so that I would be in his company. The birthday party would be a piece of cake compared to this!

I tucked my purse under my arm and turned, steeling myself in case the anger was back, or maybe just simmering while I'd been getting ready. He hadn't moved; he simply sat there, his eyes boring into me as he watched me move around the apartment. I started to get uneasy at his scrutiny, his face expressionless as he continued to watch my every movement. It was unnerving, and when I was nervous, I tended to babble.

"We should go. I...um...I appreciate you helping me this afternoon, and for the ride to my parents." I stopped before I could say something really stupid, and for once it seemed my mouth decided to obey my brain. Huh.

He didn't say a word, just rose gracefully from the chair and moved towards the door. I scooped up the packages off the counter and followed him, careful not to walk too closely behind him just in case he stopped suddenly. He did that to me sometimes, saying I needed to be more aware of my surroundings. He stopped when he got to the door and opened it, standing aside and waiting for me to precede him out of the apartment. I started to pass him, but stopped when his hand came out palm side up. I paused, then blushed as I realized he wanted the keys to lock up. I wasn't about to bait him by bringing up his ability to lock and unlock my door without benefit of keys any time he chose. It seemed safer that way.

We continued on down the hall, his hand again at my elbow as I made my way towards the elevator. Hey, I had three-inch heels on! I wasn't about to try walking down the stairs in these, especially with my hands full. My luck I'd fall flat on my face. My life was like that.

I got into the elevator, and was again startled when he followed me in and pressed the button for the first floor. I kept my mouth shut even though inside I was doing the fish impression again. Twice in one day had me wondering just who was really here with me, because it wasn't _my_ Ranger. _My_ Ranger only took the stairs; that way he couldn't be taken by surprise. _My_ Ranger was too health-conscious to even _think_ of stepping in an elevator. _My_ Ranger..._hold__ on here!_ He wasn't _My_ Ranger. He wasn't _My_ anything, except my friend, and that was debatable at the moment.

He'd been so angry at me earlier I wasn't sure where we stood anymore. He _was _taking me to my parents house, though, so I guess we were still _something_. I really didn't have time to analyze that thought right now, though. I had an evening of hell to look forward to, and since I had plenty of room on my mental shelf for stuff like this, I tucked it away with all the other random bits and pieces of my life that I needed to examine but would require more than just a passing thought. Now wasn't exactly the best time for introspection.

The elevator stopped on the ground floor, and his hand guided me outside to where he'd parked the Cayenne just over an hour ago. He opened the passenger door and helped me in, buckling my seat belt without saying a word, then closing the door when he was finished. I relaxed into the soft smooth leather; the scent of Bvlgari, Ranger and leather mixed together in the enclosed space was intoxicating, and I reveled in it. I had missed the comfort I'd always felt when riding in Ranger's cars, especially with him. I was never inadequate or an embarrassment when I was cocooned in the safety of the bulletproof vehicles he drove. I was protected and cared for, which was a feeling that had been absent for quite a while now.

He climbed into the driver's seat and started the powerful engine, maintaining the tense silence that had been present since I had come out of the bedroom. It probably wouldn't be a very good idea to break it, so I kept my mouth shut and instead focused my gaze on the passing scenery. Not too long now, since I only lived a few minutes away from my parents. I should be able to keep my mouth shut and avoid pissing him off for that long. At least I hoped I could.

I tensed as we pulled up in front of my parents house, mentally readying myself for the evening ahead. My mother and Grandma Mazur were standing at the front door as usual, their 'Burg radar obviously in high gear. My thoughts skimmed ahead to their usual greetings when I arrived; Grandma with a look of anticipation on her face, and my mother's grim disapproval apparent in the crossed arms and stern countenance. I sighed. Nothing ever changed, except to grow more and more uncomfortable.

My thoughts were interrupted by Ranger turning off the key and opening his door, exiting his side and moving around to open my door. I was too stunned to do more than stare as he deftly unclipped my seat belt and removed the packages from my lap so I could get out unencumbered. Okay. He was probably only being a gentleman, since I was dressed a little nicer than normal and had several packages to carry.

We started up the short walkway to the front door, his hand this time resting at the small of my back in a familiar supportive gesture. It calmed me, although the skin tightening around my mother's face and her stiffening posture were setting off warning bells inside my head. Evidently there was something else I'd get a sermon on tonight, and I didn't have a clue what it was. Crap!

We walked up the steps to the porch where they both stood, Grandma's gaze immediately focusing on Rangers package and my mom's on his hand that was resting on my back. Her gaze narrowed and her face became pinched with anger, causing my insides to tighten even more. Ranger must have noticed her mood because his hand moved to my waist and brought me closer against his side. My mother's lips almost disappeared she was pressing them together so tightly in fury, and her eyes immediately swept up to my face.

What the hell was he _doing_?

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Don't own em, not making anything, will return all when I'm done...except Ranger. Nope, not returning him. Finders Keepers! Hugs to Stayce, my SuperBeta for helping me to keep this from going over the top!

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 3

_Previously_

_We walked up the steps to the porch where they both stood, Grandma's gaze immediately focusing on Ranger's package and my mom's on his hand that was resting on my back. Her gaze narrowed and her face became pinched with anger, causing my insides to tighten even more. Ranger must have noticed her mood because his hand moved to my waist and brought me closer against his side. My mother's lips almost disappeared she was pressing them together so tightly in fury, and her eyes immediately swept up to my face. _

_What the hell was he _doing_?_

"Stephanie."

Crap! There was a world of hurt waiting for me tonight, I could tell by the tone of her voice. My guess was she didn't approve of Ranger's company, nor his familiarity as he kept his hand firmly planted on my waist and my body pressed snugly to him. I felt myself tense, since I now realized tonight was going to be even worse than I'd anticipated. On top of the day I'd had, I didn't know if I had it in me to endure another one of my mother's tirades. From the look on her face, it promised to even surpass the 'Dickie Lecture' I'd received, as I not so fondly labeled it in my memory. Somalia was looking better and better every second.

"Well, if it isn't the bounty hunter with the nice package!" Grandma exclaimed, her body vibrating with excitement. Her eyes were sparkling with mischief, and I could tell she was consciously restraining herself from grabbing at Rangers crotch. I moved forward to partially block her from losing the battle with her hands, as well as dislodging myself from Ranger's side. My mother turned stiffly and stepped inside the house, clearly expecting everyone to follow her since she didn't even pause to see if we were behind her. I stopped directly between my grandmother and Ranger, raising my eyebrows when she stubbornly refused to move. Frustration was evident on her face when she caught my meaningful look and turned to join my mother in entering the front door. Only then did I follow the procession inside with Ranger at my back.

I stopped just inside the living room with Ranger, taking in the pandemonium in the room. My niece, Mary Alice, was galloping towards us, whinnying as she passed and heading for the kitchen. Her sister, Angie, was sitting on the couch staring at a book she was holding open in her hands. Val was standing next to her, crooning to a crying Lisa while her husband Albert was sitting on the edge of the couch, wringing his hands and offering hesitant suggestions to calm the baby. As soon as she saw me, Val handed Lisa to Albert and started into the kitchen, saying over her shoulder that she needed a bottle for the baby. As she passed us she looked disparagingly at Ranger, then disappeared through the kitchen doorway.

My father was sitting in his recliner, eyes stoically fastened on the TV, trying very hard to ignore the chaos surrounding him. He looked up at me then, smiling as he noticed us frozen at the scene before us and beckoned me over. Ranger followed behind me as I moved over to my father's chair. I leaned in and kissed him on his cheek, whispering in his ear "Hi Daddy" just barely loud enough for him to hear. He murmured back "Hi Pumpkin. Hows my girl?," before turning his attention to Ranger.

"Daddy, you remember Ranger?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow, then nodded his head and held up a hand in greeting, which Ranger returned. Just then my mother appeared in the doorway and spoke in a tight voice.

"Stephanie, I need your help in the kitchen." She stood there expectantly and I stiffened. She didn't really need my help; it was her polite way of requesting my presence in her domain where she would begin her censure of my job, my choice of friends, _my_ _life_. Even though I'd expected this, I still dreaded these weekly sessions, and from the tone of her voice, I highly doubted Ranger's presence would deter her from venting her disapproval. This was sooo not going to be fun!

I glanced up at Ranger before turning, seeing the question in his eyes. I gave his arm a slight squeeze for reassurance and pasted a fake smile on my face, moving past him to follow my mother as she turned and disappeared into the kitchen. I stopped when I felt his hand on my arm and heard his quiet "Babe?" I looked up into his face, hoping the apprehension I felt wasn't visible in my eyes. Obviously I wasn't very successful, because his grip tightened a fraction on my arm and he was frowning. Since it wouldn't be wise to delay much longer, I simply patted his hand.

"It's okay, Ranger. I'm used to it." I spoke softly so that only Ranger could hear. I didn't want to make matters worse by having my father hear. My mother somehow always managed to use the right pitch in her voice so that he wasn't even aware of what was going on around him.

Apparently I was taking too much time though, because my mother appeared at the door again, looking pointedly at Ranger's hand on my arm with my hand on top of his. Her skin tightened across her face and while she visibly paled, bright spots of anger on her cheeks and sparks of hatred shot out of her eyes. I tensed again, but I think this time Ranger felt it, because his hand tightened on my arm almost to the point of pain. I sensed more than saw him clench his jaw.

"Stephanie! Now!" she hissed, looking very close to losing it altogether. I squinted my eyes shut momentarily, and with a rueful grin disengaged my arm from Ranger's grip and followed her out into the kitchen. Might as well get this over with.

As soon as we were both in the kitchen she rounded on me, the venom in her tone making me take a step back. Val was sitting at the kitchen table with her hands folded in front of her, smirking when my mother started to lay into me.

"How dare you bring that...that _person,_ into this house! I cant believe you'd choose _him_ over Joseph! If it wasn't for _him_ you wouldn't even be doing that horrible job, and then Joseph would marry you! He's not going to wait around forever, you know! I'm so ashamed I can't show my face out of this house, and yet you continue to flaunt _that man _in front of Joseph!" By the time she'd finished her face was so red I thought she was going to explode.

I felt numb with shock. Is that really what she thought of Ranger, my friend and mentor? I mean, he'd saved me so many times. I _expected_ her to come after me about my job, and Joe, and my whole life, basically. She'd done that every week when I could bring myself to show up for dinner.

Then, before I could form any type of defense, Val started in. I felt the blood drain from my face each sentence was spat out of her mouth.

"What, you think you're too good for Joe Morelli, Steph? Too good for the Burg?" she said snidely. She looked at me in disgust and sneered. "No wonder you're so skinny. Too stupid to learn to cook, can't satisfy a man well enough to keep him away from other women, and sleeping with all those criminals. I can't believe you actually brought _him_ here, for _my_ birthday!" Her tone was even more venomous than my mother's, and it was all I could do to keep standing on my feet. When had Val become so hateful?

"Babe, whats going on in here?" I heard Ranger ask behind me, his voice deadly quiet. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. Oh God, to have Ranger hear what my mother and sister thought of me, and for my mother speak about him like that! I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me, but since that wasn't happening I wanted to hide my head in mortification. Instead I was caught by a heavily muscled arm that grasped me around the shoulders and anchored me against his broad chest. Just his touch calmed me, and I straightened my shoulders.

"This is none of your business!" my mother began icily, turning to Ranger. "You're nothing but a murdering thug, a criminal who uses innocent young women to ingratiate yourself into proper society. Joseph told us all about you. You're a dangerous killer, and I will not tolerate your presence here! Stay away from our family! Stephanie belongs to Joseph, and you will do well to remember..." Suddenly I'd had enough. _This was Ranger,_ _my best friend!_

"Mom!" I interrupted. The shock had mostly worn off, and I was starting to get pissed. "Ranger is my friend. He doesn't deserve that from you or anyone! He's the best person I know, and I'm not going to stand here and listen to this! Joe and I are over. I don't love him, and he doesn't love me! End of story!" She could say whatever she wanted about me and to me, but my friends were off limits.

Apparently Val was feeling brave because she spoke up again, only this time she started in on Ranger.

"Are you so hard up for a woman that you'll settle for someone that can't even cook, and rolls around in garbage all day? Good lord, she embarrasses all of us, not to mention herself! Do you all share her, is that why you help her?" she snipped.

Oh no she didn't! Implying that Ranger was _hard up_, as she called him, then accusing me of sleeping with his men in exchange for their help was the final straw. I rounded on Val, so angry I was shaking.

"Excuse me?" I began. I was ready to rumble now! "Are you calling me a whore? Ranger doesn't need a cook. Hes got one! I have never slept with _any_ of his men. And for your information, I'm in love with him, so he wouldn't have to help me to get me into his bed! He's never once hesitated to be there for me, and I'd sure as hell not hesitate for him _or_ his men!" I ended hotly. Tears had started to roll down my face, but I was too mad to care that my mascara had given me raccoon eyes and that my face was red and splotchy.

"Which means you're sleeping with him!" Val shot back. "Hes not even from here! He doesn't belong here! Look where he spends all his time, down on Stark Street with all the hookers! He..."

"Enough!"

We all turned to see my father standing in the doorway, the veins bulging in his neck and his face almost purple from anger. Albert was standing behind him holding Lisa, his eyes practically popping out of his head and his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Mary Alice and Angie were on either side of him, hands gripping his shirt like a lifeline while Grandma Mazur stood next to my father, an expression of disappointment and utter disgust on her face.

Everyone stood frozen in shock as my father moved into the room and stood next to Ranger and me, his eyes locked on my sister in fury. Val nearly melted from the blaze of heat that was evident in my father's gaze before he turned his head to look at my mother, who gasped as if he had physically slapped her. She reeled back from the look in his eyes, her grip on the chair the only thing keeping her from falling to the floor.

"Son, I think you should take Stephanie home. I'll call you tomorrow and see how she's doing." My father said in a voice laced with apology. He dropped a kiss on my head and whispered "I love you, Pumpkin" in my ear, then turned to Albert and the girls.

"Take the girls home, Albert. Valerie will be staying a while." His voice was tight, but it was obvious his anger wasn't directed at the man who stood front of him looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Albert shook his head up and down like a bobble-head doll, looking for all the world like he wished he were somewhere else, but seeming unable to move.

Ranger gently turned me around and moved us towards the hallway and the front door, keeping me firmly attached to his side. I stumbled, and Ranger swung me up in his arms. I was too drained to resist, so I simply laid my head on his shoulder, my hands gripping his shirt as tightly as I could. He walked down the steps and up to the SUV, beeping it unlocked as he approached. He set me carefully inside, buckling me into the seat and brushing the hair away from my face. He dropped a kiss to my forehead and shut the door, rounding the front and gracefully sliding into the driver's seat.

I didn't remember the ride home, nor the walk up to my apartment. Ranger carried me to the elevator, then into the apartment. I wasn't even aware when he undressed me and slid one of his T-shirts over my head, tucking me into bed and turning out the lights. I was so exhausted I just curled into a ball and closed my eyes, letting darkness take over my mind as I drifted off to sleep.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I REALLY wish I owned 'em (but I don't), that I was making big bucks with 'em (right!) and I'll return em all when I'm done with them...maybe. And again, huge super hugs to Stayce for her phenomenal beta skills!

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 4

_Previously_

_Ranger gently turned me around and moved us towards the hallway and the front door, keeping me firmly attached to his side. I stumbled, and Ranger swung me up in his arms. I was too drained to resist, so I simply laid my head on his shoulder, my hands gripping his shirt as tightly as I could. He walked down the steps and up to the SUV, beeping it unlocked as he approached. He set me carefully inside, buckling me into the seat and brushing the hair away from my face. He dropped a kiss to my forehead and shut the door, rounding the front and gracefully sliding into the drivers seat._

_I didn't remember the ride home, nor the walk up to my apartment. Ranger carried me to the elevator, then into the apartment. I wasn't even aware when he undressed me and slid one of his T-shirts over my head, tucking me into bed and turning out the lights. I was so exhausted I just curled into a ball and closed my eyes, letting darkness take over my mind as I drifted off to sleep._

I awoke the next morning feeling disoriented; my bed had never been this comfortable, nor my sheets so soft. I looked around me, taking in the quiet luxury of Ranger's bedroom. _How in the hell did I get here?_

The events of the evening before at my parents house came flooding back, and I cringed as my mom's and Val's hateful words echoed in my head. Was that really what they thought of Ranger? And me? The looks on their faces said yes, and tears started to well up in my eyes again. God I was pathetic! Even my own family couldn't understand me, or my choice of friends. Why couldn't they accept my life the way I chose, especially my best friend?

As much as my mother kept trying to force the issue, I couldn't go back to Joe, that was certain. When we broke up, instead of all the yelling and screaming, we'd sat quietly and talked about where our relationship was, and where it was headed. Neither of us wanted that, and we parted as friends. He was now seeing a school teacher he'd met in Philly, and things seemed to be going good for them. I couldn't be happier for him, and even though we no longer saw much of each other, the times we ran into one another were comfortable without all the tension that had been present the past couple of years.

I sighed and decided it was time to get out of bed. Ranger wouldn't appreciate me lounging around all day in his bed. I knew how much he valued his privacy, so the sooner I was out of here, the better.

I went into the bathroom, took care of Mother Nature, and turned on the shower. I stripped and stepped under the hot spray, letting the water wash away the remnants of the night before. I lathered up the shower scrubby with Rangers yummy shower gel and almost swooned as the fragrance wafted up to me, enveloping me in the intoxicating scent of Ranger.

I finished cleaning up and exited the shower, wrapping one of the huge towels around me after drying off while combing my fingers through my unruly hair. I went out into the bedroom, looking for my clothes I had worn the night before. I really didn't want to put them on, but I had no other clothes there, and I'd long ago stopped keeping any of my uniforms in Ranger's closet.

Once I determined my clothes were nowhere around, I grabbed up a pair of Ranger's sweatpants and a T-shirt, pulling a hoodie over the ensemble to hide the fact I wasn't wearing any underwear. I'd wash them and return them later after I got home to my own apartment.

When I opened the bedroom door, the wonderful smells of an Ella breakfast complete with coffee assaulted my nose, and my stomach decided to let the world know it how deprived it had been. Loudly. I heard a chuckle and saw Ella setting out a breakfast feast of pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and donuts on the dining room table, a glass of juice sitting at the single place setting. I blushed, even though this wasn't the first time my stomach had vocalized its displeasure at it's empty state in front of her.

"Omigod, Ella! That smells wonderful! Please say you'll adopt me! I promise I'll do all of my chores, and I won't even expect an allowance." I almost moaned as I sniffed the air again, taking in the magic that was Ella's cooking. The appetizing smells became somewhat overpowering, causing me to feel dizzy as I realized I hadn't eaten anything for the past two days, and it was even longer since I'd had a decent meal. She chuckled, then ran an appraising eye over me, taking in the way Ranger's sweats hung on my body and dullness of my complexion.

I winced as I saw an expression of irritation cross her face, followed by determination. I moved over to the table and sank into a chair, waiting for the dizziness to pass and bask in the aroma of my favorite breakfast. I reached out a hand to grasp the mug of coffee, unsurprised to see my hand shaking a little, but clearly it upset Ella. She turned, pinning me with her dark gaze as she began questioning me, her voice soft and non-threatening.

"Stephanie? When was the last time you ate? You're so thin, dear. Are you feeling all right?" I could hear the concern in her voice, which made me want to cry. I swallowed a lump in my throat and tried to reply, not knowing exactly what to say.

"Um, a couple days ago, I think. I'm okay Ella. Really. I was just making room for dinner at my parent's last night. It was my sister's birthday and my mom had a huge dinner prepared. And birthday cake, let's not forget that!" I was babbling again, so I hurriedly took a gulp of coffee to keep my mouth busy. I should have known Ella could tell I hadn't been eating very much. She was, after all, the one who shopped for some of my distraction outfits that Ranger had once provided.

She tsk'd and moved towards the door, letting herself out quietly. I busied myself with my breakfast, slathering butter and syrup over my pancakes. I took a bite and almost passed out from sheer bliss. Yum! Chocolate chip! I took a bite of bacon and could have sworn I was in heaven. _Nobody_ could cook as magically as Ella, and I intended to make the most of it. After all, the only thing I had back at my apartment were some stale crackers and hamster nuggets. Well, some water in my fridge, but it didn't do much to kill the hunger pains. That thought made me remember last night while I was getting ready.

Crap! Ranger had seen my empty fridge! I was gonna have to do some fast talking later, unless I managed to avoid him until I could get some skips in to replenish my sagging bank account and pick up a few things. I liked that idea better, since I knew I was a lousy liar when it came to Ranger. Well, not really a lousy liar, since I couldn't bring myself to lie to him. Just bend the truth a bit. Unfortunately, I seemed to be transparent when it came to him, because he always managed to squeeze the whole truth out of me anyway. So, avoidance was the plan. Guess that solves that issue. I'd put that plan into action just as soon as I finished my meal.

I happily plowed into my breakfast, dismayed to discover I was stuffed when I'd barely eaten half my food. Damn! And it was so good too! Who knew when I'd get a meal like this again, especially since I didn't think I'd be visiting my parents house anytime soon, much less eat there. And it's not like I could just show up on Ranger's doorstep every night for dinner. I wondered if Ella would fix me a doggie bag? I'd hate to let this all go to waste...

My inner musings were interrupted by the front door opening, and Ranger strode into the room. I looked up and gulped, his blank face firmly in place and his eyes boring into mine. So much for the plan!

I shifted uncomfortably under his steady perusal, wishing desperately for the ground to open up and swallow me. If only I'd left as soon as I remembered he'd seen my refrigerator, I'd be home by now and could delay the inquisition for a few days. Stupid stupid stupid!

"How long has this been going on, Stephanie?" Ranger's voice sounded like he was almost growling. Somalia, here I come!

"Um...well my mom's kinda been on my case ever since Joe and I broke up and she found out he's seeing a teacher in Philly, but last night was the first time Val's ever said anything." I said, feeling my face heat up in remembrance. Ugh! Hopefully my admission to Val about being in love with Ranger got lost in the shuffle. "I'm really sorry about last night, Ranger." I sighed then. Just the thought of the horrible way they spoke to him last night made my chest hurt.

"I'm not talking about last night." He spoke again, moving closer to me as he continued to study me. Maybe he didn't remember that part?

I frowned. What was he talking about? I thought for a minute, then it hit me. Crappity crap crap! The stupid plan!

Oh, well...um...I was really busy today and totally spaced out lunch, and then when Nicky Zambrano dumped his spaghetti on my head I sorta lost my appetite, and then I had to hurry to get Val's birthday present..." I faltered when I noticed his expression. Gulp!

"Can I at least pack first?" I asked, my voice coming out in a squeak.

This obviously was the perfect thing for me to say, because his face changed from pissed to confused in 0.2 seconds flat. Maybe not Somalia then, but still...

"Pack for where?" he asked, his voice betraying his bewilderment. I'm marking today on my calendar, because I have finally been successful in confusing Batman. It might mean Siberia instead, but damn I was proud of myself!

I looked down at my feet before answering.

"Well, um, you seem kinda mad at me, and um...see I heard you send people who piss you off to third-world countries, and uh, well, could I pack some things first?" I asked. Damn, I wish that squeak would go away! "Oh, and I need to find Rex a new home, unless I can take him with me..."

My voice faded as I looked up and saw his expression. Wait a minute. Was he laughing? He was! He was _laughing _at me! Not his usual almost smile, oh nooo! Flat out laughing so hard he wasn't making a sound, and were those _tears_ in his eyes? That son of a bitch!

I felt the slow burn of anger start to build in my body, my hands making their way to my hips and then suddenly I was in full blown rhino mode. How dare he!

"I'm glad you find me so amusing, but to be honest with you, I'm just a little sick and tired of people laughing at me." I could hear the hurt in my voice underlying the anger, so I did what any good 'Burg girl would do. I flipped him off and started for the door, needing to get out of there before the tears started to flow. Ranger was the last person I thought would laugh at me, so his little display at my expense cut me to the quick.

My eyes were stinging as I reached for the doorknob, only it wouldn't open when I turned the handle. I looked up to see Rangers hand planted firmly on the door, holding it shut. I clenched my jaw, holding myself as rigid as possible to keep from hitting him.

"Would you remove your hand?" I bit out. No way was I going to let him know just how much his laughter hurt. I had to do something fast, before I made an even bigger fool of myself. _"Please_."

I felt his hand grip my chin and lift my head towards him, but I stubbornly refused to look at him. Hell could freeze over first!

"Babe?" Gone was the humor of just a moment before. Instead his voice sounded concerned, apologetic even. But that couldn't be right. Ranger never apologized to _anyone_, least of all to me. Not that he'd ever hurt me like this before. Well, maybe once, but that was a long time ago, and way before I realized I was in love with him. That was a piece of cake compared to this.

"I'd like to go home now Ranger. Thank you for breakfast, but I have a lot to do today." I really needed to leave _right now_, or I'd end up giving him another reason to laugh at me. I wouldn't be able to make it through another round with any pride left if I didn't get away from him.

"Steph, I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at _you."_ He actually sounded sorry, and that was my undoing. A tear slipped out and rolled down my cheek, then another. _Great_. Now I was gonna bawl right here, in front of Ranger. My humiliation was complete.

"Dont cry, Babe. I'm sorry. So sorry." He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest, trapping my hands between us. His hand rubbed soothing circles on my back and he began whispering softly in Spanish as I sobbed against his chest.

After a while I calmed down, exhausted from all the emotion I was feeling. I started to think about his apology. I wanted to know who he'd been laughing at if it wasn't me. After all, I was the only other person here, so it stood to reason that I was the object of amusement. I shifted in his embrace so that my face wasn't buried in his chest and cleared my throat.

"Who were you laughing at if it wasn't me, Ranger?" My voice sounded a little wobbly, and I grimaced. The last thing I needed was for him to think I was being a baby, although I guess it was a bit late for that. His shirt was soaked with my tears and snot, so I guess I'd just have to suck it up and pretend it didn't happen. After all, denial always worked best for me.

"Babe, what you heard is an old story." He sighed and let out a chuckle. "A long time ago I _did_ send Tank and Lester to a so-called 'third world country', but it was payback for a practical joke they played on me. I sent them to a little country in Africa called Qatar, but like I said, it was a long time ago. The guys like to bring it up to scare the others, and it works. No way would I ever do that to you, no matter how upset I get. I was laughing at the _reminder_, Babe. Not you." He was caressing my cheeks as he finished, wiping a few stray tears from my face.

Relief flowed through me at his reassuring explanation, and I relaxed against him. Not only the fact that he hadn't been laughing at me, but that he'd never send my away like that. Another thought popped into my head, something I'd wondered earlier.

"How did I get here this morning? I thought you took me to my apartment last night." I really didn't want to look at his expression, but I hoped it wouldn't be blank like it had been earlier.

"You don't remember, do you?" He smiled and tucked a curl behind my ear. I shook my head no, my brow scrunching up as I tried to think back to last night after leaving my parents house. Nope, nothing.

"I didn't take you back to your apartment last night, Babe. I brought you here where you wouldn't be alone and I could keep an eye on you." His hold tightened a fraction and I felt him take a deep breath before he continued. Why didn't you tell me you needed money, Steph?"

I froze. Damn! How did he know? Okay, time to employ my distraction skills here.

"What makes you think I need money, Ranger?" There. My voice sounded almost normal. I could do this.

"Babe."

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 5

_Previously_

_"I didn't take you back to your apartment last night, Babe. I brought you here where you wouldn't be alone and I could keep an eye on you." His hold tightened a fraction and I felt him take a deep breath before he continued. "Why didn't you tell me you needed money, Steph?"_

_I froze. Damn! How did he know? Okay, time to employ my distraction skills here._

_"What makes you think I need money, Ranger?" There. My voice sounded almost normal. I could do this._

_"Babe."_

Crappity crap crap! Where was a good coup when you needed one? Now, don't get me wrong, I don't want Ranger to get hurt or anything, I just wanted him in Africa or South America or anyplace but here. I sooo wasn't up to the third degree now, especially after last night. Even Lester's outrageous flirting or prank pulling were preferable to the inquisition I was facing right now. Wasn't there a break-in somewhere else that he needed to check out?

I squirmed a little in his arms, hoping to put some distance between us. I couldn't think coherent thoughts when he was touching me and I could feel his mouth so close to mine. He probably knew that, though. Freakin' ESP!

"Um, I really need to go to the bathroom, Ranger." Why does my voice have to squeak like that? _Darn hormones!_

"Running away, Stephanie?" His voice was steel over velvet, but the velvet was getting pretty thin there. Evidently his patience too, because his calling me 'Stephanie' instead of 'Babe' wasn't a good sign. Hopefully his assurance he would never send me to a third world country still held, because I could swear I should be packing my bags about now. I _really_ should get to that bathroom!

"I...um...I drank a lot of coffee and it's...um..." My voice started to wobble and I could feel the blood rushing to my face. I was going to get even more embarrassed any time now if he didn't let me go. I don't think Ella would appreciate it either!

He finally recognized my dilemma and reluctantly released me. I didn't hesitate and practically flew to the bathroom, making it just in time to keep what was left of my dignity. Boy that was close!

I washed up and straightened my clothes, not that there was much I could do with a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt. A tube of mascara would've helped immensely, except I didn't have any with me. No telling where my purse was. The last I remember seeing it was when I was getting out of Ranger's SUV at my parents house last night.

Last night. Remembering the venom in Val's voice, coupled with the accusations she'd made about me sleeping with Ranger's men made my heart hurt. Especially when she decided to attack Ranger. Hey, I'm not exactly _her_ husband's biggest fan either, given the fact that he seemed even more inept at than I was about anything he did or said. But he made her happy, and that was all that really mattered, at least to me.

And my mother's near apoplectic response to Ranger's presence? That was probably the most heartbreaking of all. If I hadn't witnessed it myself I never would have believed she could be so vindictive to _anyone _I'd brought home. Her main focus ever since Dickie had been to see me married and pregnant, and she didn't seem to care who had the dubious honors. Her immediate acceptance of 'one of those Morelli boys' as a possible candidate was a clear indication where her priorities lay. That fact that I wanted to be happy in the process didn't apply. It was almost as if she didn't _want_ me happy, and that confused the hell out of me.

I decided to shelve those thoughts for now. I really needed some of my own things, and mascara was right up there on top of the list, along with underwear. The knowledge that I was going commando, and braless as well, had nasty little thoughts popping up at the most inopportune times. Hopefully Ranger had given up waiting for me and had left, leaving the cross examination for later. Much later, like when I was, say sixty or so?

I left the bathroom, fully intending to leave the apartment before Ranger got back, but I didn't count on him to be waiting for me in the bedroom. And he was. He'd closed the bedroom door and stood leaning against it, arms crossing his chest and his ankles crossed in his standard waiting stance, blank face firmly in place even as his eyes bored into mine.

Crap. No way I was getting out of it this time, and since I couldn't think of any other delaying tactics, I figured I might as well get it over with. Then I could go home and lecture myself about what an idiot I was. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Okay, do your worst. What do you want to know?" I looked directly into his eyes, looking for something, _anything_ that would give me a clue as to what he'd been so angry about. I could almost swear I saw a look of admiration there before it was gone as swiftly as it came. I had to have been mistaken.

"I want to know" he began, his voice tense with repressed anger, "why you didn't tell me you needed money? Why didn't you come to me when you ran out of food and had no money to buy any?" He stalked over to me and gripped my chin firmly in his hand, lifting my face to allow him to see me clearly. "Most of all, why the fuck didn't Morelli take care of you?" He was definitely pissed. His jaw and fists were clenched so tight his skin was almost as white as mine. Probably trying not to reach out and strangle me.

It took a moment for that last question to sink in, but when it did, the shock turned to rage. Oh _hell_ no! Just who in the hell does he think he is? I furiously wrenched my chin out of his hand and pushed at his chest, so angry I wasn't even aware I'd done it.

"Excuse me? _Take care of me?_" I was in full rhino mode right then, and I subconsciously noted that Ranger had stepped back with a wary look on his face. Smart guy. "Why the hell would _he_ have to take care of me? Huh? Its not _his_ job to take care of me! That's _my_ job! Me. Its _my_ life! He doesn't have a damn thing to do with me! Maybe his girlfriend might want him to _take care_ of her, but that's nothing to do with me!" I was so angry by then I didn't see how my words were affecting him. Then again, I didn't really care.

"And another thing! Why in the _hell_ should I come to _you_ if and when I needed money? I'm not _your_ responsibility either!" All the comments he'd made in the past about he 'doesn't do relationships' and his 'love comes with a condom, not a ring' came rushing back all at once, tainting my voice with the hurt they'd caused. "I'm not anyone's responsibility. I can take care of myself just fine!"

"Is that why you're so weak you practically fall over, because you're taking care of yourself, Stephanie?" he growled, starting to invade my personal space again. "I could feel every bone in your body last night! There's nothing but water in your fridge and hamster pellets in your cupboard! Your TV is gone! Your microwave too! You haven't even got a fucking coffee pot anymore! Not to mention your phone's been disconnected, your rent's past due, and your utilities are in danger of being shut off! How is that taking care of yourself?" he finished, almost snarling.

"How did you...you looked at my mail?" I squeaked out. How in the name of Tastykakes did he find out so much? And better yet, what else did he know?

"It doesn't matter _how_ I found out, Stephanie! How in the hell are you supposed to protect yourself if you're so weak you can't even stand up straight? Zambrano could have easily _killed_ you today!" He stopped, seeming to collect himself before continuing in a much more controlled tone. "You've lost too much weight than is healthy for you. Your clothes don't fit anymore because of that. Tank told me he and the guys haven't seen you but a couple of times when you brought Mooner and Dougie in, and Lula told him you haven't been coming into the office in the mornings anymore. Has Morelli been cheating on you? Is that why you've been hiding yourself away from everyone? Why you wouldn't come to me for help?"

I was stunned. He didn't know about Joe and me breaking up? It was all over the 'Burg, so how could he not know? And I wasn't really hiding so much as keeping myself busy so I wouldn't think about how much I missed Ranger, and how hurt I was that he didn't seem to miss me. He just kept his distance.

I hadn't really had much of an appetite, so missing a few meals wasn't exactly a problem. Well, the lack of money in my account _did_ contribute to that, but I wasn't as concerned about food money. For me, anyway. I usually managed to stretch my leftovers every week to last a couple days. It was my rent that caused most of the worry, as well as food for Rex. At least I still had my car. I couldn't catch skips without a car, and taking them by bus to the station to get rebooked wouldn't work very well.

"Ranger, Joe and I broke up over two months ago. For good. He hasn't been cheating, he's dating a girl in Philly. I haven't been hiding, I've been busy." No need to tell him _why_ Id kept myself so occupied. "I haven't felt much like going out because I've been learning self defense down at the YWCA, as well as putting together files on my skips so I can find them easier. As far as going to you for help, I don't think your girlfriend would appreciate it. I know I wouldn't.

All was silent in the room except the soft whisper of my breathing. Nothing from Ranger. He didn't confirm he had a girlfriend, but he didn't deny it either. I lifted my head and looked at his face. Blank as usual, and I swallowed back a sob. He'd distanced himself from me again.

Suddenly I was very tired. Not so much physically, but emotionally. I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the chill I felt at his demeanor and started towards the door.

I didn't belong here anymore, and wondered if I ever really did.

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Please consult previous chapters. See, I can do polite! *grin* Gotta hand out those kudos to Stayce again, my fantabulous beta, and Kym for her encouragement and late-night brainstorming sessions. Thanks, Babes!

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 6

_Previously_

_All was silent in the room except the soft whisper of my breathing. Nothing from Ranger. He didn't confirm he had a girlfriend, but he didn't deny it either. I lifted my head and looked at his face. Blank as usual, and I swallowed back a sob. He'd distanced himself from me again. _

_Suddenly I was very tired. Not so much physically, but emotionally. I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the chill I felt at his demeanor and started towards the door. _

_I didn't belong here anymore, and wondered if I ever really did._

I closed the door softly behind me and stopped in front of the elevator, pressing the call button. The door opened immediately, and I stepped inside, my feet feeling almost as leaden as my chest. I pressed the button for the garage, then stood back and leaned against the elevator wall.

I could probably walk home; it wasn't really that far. I didn't think asking one of the guys for a ride would be a good idea, and calling my Dad wasn't an option. It would just be another black mark on my Mom's list of how I much of a fuckup I was. After last night, I probably wouldn't be welcome at my parents anytime soon, and since I didn't get any leftovers, that meant I wouldn't be eating until I could get some more skips in.

Food was the least of my worries right now though. Ella's breakfast was sitting like a stone in my stomach, and as much as I enjoyed every single bite, I almost wished I hadn't eaten it. That thought expanded, and made me wish I hadn't experienced a lot of things I'd done in the last couple of years. You can't miss what you never had, right?

The elevator stopped on the fifth floor and I groaned. Just my luck one of the guys was probably heading out. I hoped it was one of the newer hires, since the thought of running into one of Ranger's core team wasn't exactly appealing right now. It would just make the loneliness harder when they cut off all contact after Ranger filled them in.

The doors opened to the unsmiling face of Tank standing in front of me, arms crossed and eyes boring into me. Crap! He was probably here to escort me out of the building, and even more significant, out of Ranger's life. I started to tear up at that possibility. Losing all the guys friendship, especially Ranger's, hurt more than I think I could handle, especially after the events of the past twenty-four hours.

Tank joined me in the elevator and pressed the door close button, then stood back and ignored my gasp when I felt the car start to rise instead of dropping to the garage. I punched the garage button repeatedly, panicking at the idea of facing Ranger again. Having Ranger tell me he didn't want anything to do with me was something I wasn't ready to face right now. The problem was, Tank's presence pretty much guaranteed that I wasn't going to be getting off the elevator anywhere but the floor he chose, and that meant the seventh floor.

The elevator opened to an empty hall, although I could see the door to Ranger's apartment standing ajar. I swallowed and turned to look up at Tank. He didn't say a word, simply motioning me out and towards the open door. I sighed and moved towards the door. Now I knew how death row inmates felt when walking to their executions. _Not_ something I had a burning need to know at the moment.

I pushed open the door of Ranger's apartment and stopped, not believing my eyes. Ranger wasn't standing there waiting like I anticipated. He was...pacing, drawing his hand through his hair impatiently. Curiously, he didn't seem aware that I was standing there watching him. If I wasn't so shocked, I would have laughed. Ranger was _always_ aware of his surroundings, and pacing was just too out of character for the master of self-control. Maybe I broke him?

The clearing of a throat sounded behind me, and I realized that Tank had followed me out of the elevator. The sound brought Ranger's pacing to a halt, and he strode purposefully over to me, immense relief written all over his face. I stood frozen, unable to think of a reason for Ranger's uncharacteristic behavior. Was there something going on here that I wasn't aware of?

Ranger flashed a quick glance and a nod at Tank, grabbing me to him in a fierce hug as I heard the door close behind me. My face was planted squarely in the middle of his chest, giving me a solid whiff of Bvlgari and Ranger. I came pretty close to passing out just then, the heady scents making my head swim with memories of all the times he'd pulled me into the alley by the bonds office to kiss me. And that one night when he'd ruined me...

Whoa there! Scratch that thought right now! Even though he didn't confirm he had a girlfriend, he didn't deny it either. He wasn't mine, and I had no right to expect anything from him beyond what he was willing to offer. And all he'd offered was friendship, something that was more precious to me than anything else. I'd do _anything_ not to lose it, even if it cost me the possibility of what I wanted most.

I tried to pull back a little to get a look at his face. His hold tightened a fraction, keeping me plastered against his front, and I felt his body shudder ever so slightly. He'd shown so much emotion earlier, and I was hoping he was still allowing his feelings to show. I needed to know what had caused him to act so differently then, _so normal_, as opposed to the usual blank face he presented. It made me wonder if he was aware he had let his mask drop.

"Ranger?"

Reluctantly, it seemed, he loosened his hold enough to allow me to look up at him. I gasped at the amount of emotion I saw there. Gone was the blank face I was used to seeing when I looked at him. Much like earlier, the emotions that he displayed now had me practically reeling, and if it wasn't for his arms still clasped around me, I would have dropped to my knees.

"Babe" he whispered, his voice thick with more feeling than I'd thought possible for him to show, given our past. I stared into his face, basking in the warmth and affection in his tone. I was afraid to close my eyes, scared that all he was showing would be just a dream, a desire that I'd projected on his face, and would disappear if I looked away.

"Ranger? Is everything all right?" There had to be something seriously wrong for him to drop his guard like this. For him to show me so much. Had there been a threat discovered? Did something happen to one of the guys? His family? Mine? Oh God! Did something happen to Grandma or my Dad?

I felt the panic rise up in me, squashing every thought in my head but the need to see my family, to know they were all right. I started to wriggle out of Ranger's hold, almost freeing myself before he managed to tuck me back into his embrace more securely. I groaned in frustration. Why wouldnt he let me go?

"Babe, everything's okay. I just...I need to talk to you, and we keep getting sidetracked. I need you to listen to me. Please." He was playing dirty now, pulling out the please card. Sooo not fair!

I hesitated before answering, his body tense as he waited for my response. I was so confused by his behavior I couldn't come up with any reason for him to be so_...needy_, as if he had to keep reassuring himself of my presence here. As angry as he'd been earlier, this sudden turnabout in his attitude had me wondering what I was missing. And now curiosity was killing me; I wanted to know why Ranger wanted another conversation with me when the previous one turned out so well.

Okay. Guess it wouldnt hurt to find out what he had to say before he kicked me out. I just prayed it wasn't goodbye. I'd rather get that one on the phone, and be really _really_ far away.

"I heard what you said." He began, then paused as if waiting for me to say something. He knew I would.

"What I said?" Gulp. "When?"

He gave me a quick squeeze as if scolding me, then quietly continued. "Last night at your parents." I squinched my eyes shut, groaning inwardly. C'mon denial! Where the hell are you when I need you?

"Um, so what was it I said?" Okay, I know hes not gonna buy that, but I was reaching here!

"Babe."

"What? I said a lot of things last night! I mean, you heard all the horrible things that Val and my mom were saying about you!" What I'd give for his phone to ring about now with one of the Merry Men on the other end, summoning him to deal with a difficult FTA or, God forbid, a break-in with one of his high priority accounts. _Anything_ to delay, if not cancel the inquisition.

I heard him sigh, which was totally out of character for Ranger, but then again, most people did things they didn't normally do when they had been around me for a while.

"When were you going to tell me, Stephanie? Or were you going to keep it a secret? Didn't I deserve to know?" His voice almost sounded hurt, but that couldn't be. I was hearing things, right?

"Um..." Shit. He was gonna make me humiliate myself again. I thought I'd done that enough last night, but it seemed he wanted a repeat. Couldn't he let me walk out with at least a little pride instead of stripping me of the minute amount I had left?

_"Are_ you in love with me, Stephanie?" His voice was emotionless, but he seemed to be holding his breath, tensed for an answer.

Crappity crap crap! Of all things he has to zero in on, why did it have to be the one thing I had blurted out without thinking, and now wished I could take back, or at least qualify it like he did so long ago? _Because you cant qualify your love for him._Well, he asked, so he was gonna get an answer. It wouldn't be what he wanted to hear, but at least it would be out in the open. Even if it meant I'd never see him again. I took a deep breath.

"I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but yes, Ranger. I fell in love with you. I'm sorry - I didn't mean to, and I know you told me you didn't want it to happen, but I couldn't help it." I know I sounded sullen, but it didn't seem to matter anymore. He knew how I felt now, and I could feel the dread built up in my chest until I almost couldn't breathe. He'd _request_ that I didn't call him anymore for help, and send for one of the guys to drive me home. If I should happen to run into him at the office or the police station, he'd either be distant and polite, or he'd avoid me. I could already envision the emptiness that would mark my days from here on out. I'd already accepted that he didn't want me in his life the way I so desperately wanted to be, and now I'd be banished from the little part that I had left. It wasn't fair!

I was so wrapped up in my misery that I didn't notice his body relax, nor the audible sigh of relief that passed his lips as his hold tightened around me imperceptively. I _did_ notice however, the triumphant "Yes!" that escaped his mouth. A lump formed in my throat as tears started to pool. Geez! A little sadistic, maybe?

"Do you know how long I've waited to hear you say that to me?" he began, relief almost overshadowing the victory that managed to creep into his voice, even though I'm sure he hadn't meant for me to hear it. "How long I've ached just to hold you like this without feeling guilty for loving another man's woman?" He burrowed one hand into the hair at the base of my neck as he nuzzled his face into my hair, inhaling deeply. "No more poaching" he whispered, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as his arm around my back tightened again, pressing me close to his body. He moved us slowly backwards until I felt the wall up against my back, just as if we were back in that alley next to the bonds office

Wait, what did he just say?

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not making anything. Do you think since JE doesn't much care anymore she'd let me keep Ranger? *sigh* Huge thanks to Kym and the BB gang for their unwavering support and encouragement, and Stayce for saving my ass with her phenomenal beta skills!

**Better Than Birthday Cake** - pt 7

_Previously_

_"Do you know how long I've waited to hear you say that to me?" he began, relief almost overshadowing the victory that managed to creep into his voice, even though I'm sure he hadn't meant for me to hear it. "How long I've ached just to hold you like this without feeling guilty for loving another man's woman?" He burrowed one hand into the hair at the base of my neck as he nuzzled his face into my hair, inhaling deeply. "No more poaching" he whispered, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as his arm around my back tightened again, pressing me close to his body. He moved us slowly backwards until I felt the wall up against my back, just as if we were back in that alley next to the bonds office._

_Wait, what did he just say?_

"Ranger?" A sigh, no more than a slight breath of air was my only response. I tried again. "Ra...Ric?" I'd heard the guys call him that a handful of times when they were in the break room and took a chance. This time his reaction was a groan, and I had a feeling that he liked being called by his first name. Judging from the very hard part of him that was now poking me in my stomach, he liked it a lot!

I pushed at his chest, and he allowed me to put just enough space between us so I could look into his eyes. They had turned soft, like melted chocolate, even though I could see that his pupils were slightly dilated. As I watched, they slowly returned to normal, and just when I expected his blank face to slam down, a slow grin began to work it's way across his face. I flashed back to that one incredible night we'd had so long ago, and I caught my breath as I stood mesmerized by him.

I dropped my gaze to his chest, a wariness settling in as the events of the morning after that night came rushing back. I didn't want to be caught off guard again, or set myself up for another letdown. After all, he never denied he didn't have someone else in his life, which would account for his backing off so many times, refusing any involvement other than friendly support and stolen kisses. I couldn't do that anymore, because I knew I'd never survive it.

I pushed for more distance between us, my actions becoming more frantic when it became apparent he wasn't going to let me go this time. I was starting to get angry. What kind of game was he playing now? Just because he felt he had a right to poach when I was sort of with Joe didn't mean that I would reciprocate. I wouldn't be the other woman, and the sooner he realized that, the better!

He must've realized I was gearing up for rhino mode, because his hold tightened and he pushed my face into his neck while he nuzzled my ear. Damn him! He knows I cant think straight when he's filling all my senses like this!

It took me a minute or two to realize he wasn't just making love to my ear, but was murmuring softly in Spanish words that sounded suspiciously like endearments. There was one thing about the Italian language that I grew up hearing; some words closely resembled Spanish, especially words of love and affection. What floored me were the ones I recognized coming out of Ranger's oh so kissable lips.

"¡Dios, bebé! Me muero si te tengo que dejarte ir otra vez. No puedo seguir haciendo esto más; no puedo seguir viviendo sin ti. No puedo respirar sin ti." He was placing kisses all over the sides of my neck and face while my knees went weak, ending up with his face in my hair, inhaling the scent. Probably wasn't the what he was expecting, but it didn't seem to phase him.

"Por favor mi vida, quédate conmigo para siempre, bebé. Tú eres mi corazón, mi alma. Por favor dime que ceras mi amante, mi esposa, mi amiga. Nada mas dime lo que quieres y cera tuyo, bebé. ¡Pero por favor no me dejes otra vez!" Was this Ric instead of Ranger? Was he finally letting me see who he really was, instead of his street persona? But then what about his girlfriend? Why now, when he had someone else in his life? In his bed?

I tried again.

"Ranger? Ric, please. I can't..." This was going to be the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. As much as I wanted this to be real, the past few months told me this was only a dream, a fantasy that would destroy me when I woke up.

He pulled back and stared into my eyes, a tender smile gracing his face. "Babe. This is real. I'm not letting you go. Not again. This time it's forever." How the hell does he _do_ that?

He closed his eyes momentarily and swallowed, then opened his eyes and pierced me with his gaze. "I love you, Babe. So much that I'm afraid we wont be going anywhere for a while. I need to hold you, and I would like very much for you to hold me." I could feel him tense slightly, waiting for my reaction.

"But what about your girlfriend?" burst out of my mouth before I could gather my thoughts. It was a fifty-fifty shot as to whether Stupid Stephanie or Smart Stephanie had taken over my brain. The look on his face was one of abject shock.

"What girlfriend? What are you talking about?" Damn, he looked more confused than _I_ was.

I bit my lip, looking back down at my hands that were resting on that wide beautiful chest that I was cuddled against only moments before. How to say this without letting him see how much this was killing me.

"Um...well earlier, uh...when I mentioned your girlfriend, you um, well, you...you didn't say anything when I mentioned her. So I thought you were seeing someone. Cause, um, well, you haven't ki-come to see me, and um, you seemed to be kind of a-avoiding me, and um, well, I broke up with Joe m-months ago, and you said..." my voice cracked and I couldn't finish. My face was burning with embarrassment, and the lump came back in my throat, big time.

"Babe." I couldn't look up at him. I closed my eyes, hoping he'd get the hint.

"Steph." This time I squinched my eyes shut tighter; I was weakening.

"Stephanie." Oh shit. He's serious!

"What?"

He sighed. I felt his hand lightly touch my face, then his finger and thumb settled on my chin, lifting my face to his. I heard him chuckle, which brought back rhino mode. Sort of. I opened my eyes and hit him with a glare.

"Don't play with me, Ranger. I can't follow the rules, 'cause I don't even know what they are anymore. I can't keep doing this." My voice had been merely a whisper by the time I got that last part out. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not...

"Stephanie, I love you. No qualifiers. I don't have a girlfriend, a woman or a _friend_, unless you'd like to change that. God I hope you want to change that!" His voice got a little husky there.

"What? But why then?" Damn, I hate it when he confuses me like this. I pulled back out of his arms so suddenly he wasn't prepared. I started pacing back and forth in front of him, full rhino now. I stopped in front of him, hands on my hips and giving him my death glare. Ineffective as usual.

"Why what?" he asked, perplexed. Well crap! Now were _both_ confused!

I stomped my foot in aggravation. "Why have you been avoiding me? You never kiss me anymore. No alley trips, no late night visits. And every time I've called, you always send one of the guys. The one distraction I did, you didn't even show up! Tank and Lester were the only guys I knew that were there. They just said you had other things to do!" I was really getting worked up here.

"Because I needed you to come to me." He just stood there looking at me, that almost-smile curving his lips. I wanted to lick them. Badly.

"What? What do you mean?" I needed a Ranger-translation book. Strike that. I needed a Ricardo Carlos Manoso-translation book. He was driving me insane!

"Babe, I've always made the first move. _Me_ kissing _you_. _Me_ pulling _you_ into the alley. _Me_ visiting _you_. I needed _you_ to kiss _me_. _You_ pull _me_ into the alley. _You_ visit _me_. It has to be your choice. Do _you_ want _me_? You know I've always wanted you." His voice was intense, his eyes even more so.

I stood there with my mouth open in what was probably my most impressive fish impression yet. _He_ was waiting for _me_? I shook my head, hoping whatever the hell was loose in there would fall back into place. _That's_ why I needed ESP! How the hell was I supposed to know that!

He chuckled. "Gonna shake something loose in there, Babe."

"Laugh it up, big boy!" I was feeling a little sarcastic. "You're the one who's got ESP, not me! How was I supposed to know you changed the rules?" And he wonders why _I'm_ confused!

"So is that a yes?" He was staring even more intently, if that was possible. I wondered then if he'd developed x-ray vision, because his gaze was nearly burning holes in me. Wait, he was Batman, right?

"Well of course it is! Why the hell do you think I've been so mis..."

He moved so fast I never stood a chance. I was scooped up in his arms and whirled around, which didn't help the dizziness I felt when he finally stopped and kissed the living daylights out of me. All coherent thought left, as well as the rhino.

How could it compete with _that_?

_Finis_

Translation: (I had the Babbelfish translation here, but Stayce saved my ass once again! Rangers speaking _real_ Spanish, not formal)

God, Babe! I love you so much I'd die if I had to walk away from you again! I can't do it anymore; can't live anymore without you, can't breathe anymore without you. Please stay with me forever, Babe. You are my heart, my soul. Be my lover, my wife, my friend. Anything you want Babe, it's yours. Just don't leave me again!


End file.
